Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


Of Bancroft's works.
The latest issue of the series of Bancroft's
works. now rapidly drawing to a close. is
the History of British Columbia from 1892
to 1887. OF the character of the scheme of
Mr.. Bancroft we have taken occasion here
tofore to speak somewhat extendedly. We
have pointed out that the carping of the
Eastern critic has very nearly ceased.
that the objections once raised to
the methods employed in producing
this splendid monument to historical re-
search have been withdrawn; that the end
attained has not only justified the methods
adopted, but that it has disarmed those
critical essayists who were unable to
calmly contemplate any departure in his
torical research from the conventional, and
who, if they did not deem the Bancroft
task impossible, at least treated the means
he employed with more than severity. We
have heretofore, We think, so marshaled
the evidences of the success of the Bancroft
series that il is needless TO now refer at
length to the triumph achieved AS
the years roll By the unreasonable
value OF these histories will become
more and more evident. 1t is
needed that a noble structure shall be
viewed from distance, that all the SYM
metry and harmony of It's proportions NAV
be developed. As it is with architecture so
it is largely with literary and scholarly
achievement. In the recession of the wears
the value of such labor becomes more and
more manifest until as the avenue of time
lengthens, the full and rounded complete
ness of such labor develops and stands for
ward for the admiration of men. In the
next century the world OF scholarship will
marvel that this period has been, compare
lively, SO Indifferent to the inestimable
value TO mankind of the laborious re-
searches of the author of the volumes I'M
der consideration.
The history of British Columbia is prob
ably less known to Americans than that
of any other division of the Pa
cifc coast But that it is any less
interesting than that of more southern re-
gions is not true. Such romances as attach
to sunny lands are unknown to it, but
more rugged romance is woven with the
story. 1t is that of adventure, the conquest
of nature in its stronger holds, and under
more adverse conditions than met the pio-
neers of southern shores. The volume be-
fore US opens with summary of the earli-
est voyages to the coast, and follows the
chain of historic facts through the six eras
that distinctively mark the history of Brit
ish possessions upon the Pacific: First, the
discoveries and disputation as to owner
ship second, beginning with the advent
of the fur traders, followed by the agents
of the Hudson's Bay Company, and con-
tinuing to 1919; third, the period from
1919 to 1853 under the rule of the COM
pany; fourth, the period of formation into
two colonies, with distinct Governors and
concluding with the union of the Island of
Vancouver and the main land, under one
colonial government, in 1866; fifth, from
1866 to 1871, when confederation with Can
ada vas accomplished sixth, British Co.
lum bia, under the later and present rule.
On no part Of the continent, as this history
reveals, has there been more determined
opposition to civilizing processes by saw
agery than in the region indicated, and
nowhere has so much been accom-
plished in resistance to it, with less
bloodshed and conflict of arms.
As olr author puts it, This whole vast
region its claimants desired as long as pos
sible to keep as game preserve. In the
great and universal wiping out of sayagism
by civilization, the occupation of this coun-
try by Europeans stands out rs an anomaly.
The lords aboriginal were treated with
marked consideration. The white men
wanted them for hunters. The land was
deemed valueless for tillage; at all events,
peltries were profitable so long as the red
in for few beads and bullets. 1t length,
population encroaching, the fur megnaies
were crowded to the wall gold was dis
covered, and miners rushed in: and after
the miners came agriculturists and stock
raisers, with towns and all the parapher-
MALTA of progress
To the plain stating of all the facts that
have had material influence upon the
region, this volume is devoted. The treat
ment is as fall, as careful as to detail, as
exhaustive statistically, and as judicial in
arranging proofs and determining the truth,
as in any one of the preceding volumes of
the series. The physical features OF the
country are given, indeed, something of
unusual prominence. The history of the
various settlements and the influence of
corporate and of individual energy upon
the development of the country are elab-
orately shown. A good deal more of atten-
ton has been given to the natural re-
sources mineral deposits, and the products
Of the whole region than was to have been
expected in history, since histories in the
main treat of peoples and their social and
political activities, rather than of the
natural wealth of a country or the details
of its Development The political issues
between the United States and
Great Britain relative to bound
aries are fully treated, and all the
facts having any bearing upon those sub
jects are exclusively presented. Then
follows the recital of the union of the two
colonies, and their admission as province
of the Dominion of Canada, the grant of
the right of self-government and of repre-
sentative institutions. The construction of
the Canadian Pacific railway, and the dis
putes and difficulties to which the project
gave rise, have also been described at
length. for, as the author says, " the dila-
tory action of the Canadian Ministry in
this matter well-nigh caused a separation
between the Dominion and her youngest
offspring, and the matter becomes there
fore one of more than usual historic i'm
portance. 1t would be quite as pleasur-
able to present in synoptical form, as it has
been profitable to us to read the volume at
length, the main features that characterize
it, but this may not be. 1t must suffice
to say that our appreciation OF the series
has not been lessened by the perusal of
this volume,so largely given to commercial
and business affairs and so little to roman
tic details.
Our admiration for these Pacific coast
histories has been one of growth, from a
beginning of preconcerted error. 1t has
not been influenced by the differing iudg-
ments concerning the style of the text, nor
checked by the objections raised to the
methods employed. Neither has it been
one blind to the faults of the author, into
which his enthusiasm may have led him.
It has been the child of profound conviction,
that in the gathering of the vast quantity
of records necessary for the work; in the
mastery sitting of truth from error in
the enthusiastic pursuit of the remotest
proofs that would shed light upon fast fail
ing memories of fact or records of events
and peoples; in the devotion and self
sacrifice of the scholar, and the bounty of
the philanthropist, the author of these his
tories has accomplished work of such
breadth and depth and of such unmeasura-
BILE value to the people, as entities him to
the gratitude of his countrymen and the
admiration of his contemporaries.
The Magazine of Art (Capell & Co.,
limited, New York, London and Paris,